LicensedRental

Beaufort County, North Carolina

Belhaven, NC vacation rental requirements

Belhaven requires a zoning compliance permit for short-term rentals and allows them by right only in its R-5M and General Business zones (special use in R-5 and Marine Business). Guests are capped at two per bedroom plus four, and a local contact must answer within an hour. Stays pay 6.75% sales tax.

Checked against official sources November 6, 2026

Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.

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Town permit
Zoning compliance permit
Required before you advertise. Operating without one costs $25 a day.Source
Zones
R-5M and GB by right; R-5 and MB by special use
Guests
2 per bedroom + 4
Children under 3 don’t count. Post the limit and include it in your listings.Source
Local contact
Within 25 miles, 60 minutes
Taxes
6.75% sales tax
We found no occupancy tax for Belhaven; ask the town.Source

Three verified complaints in 12 months can cost you the permit. We could not find the permit fee in the code; ask the town.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

State of North Carolina

  1. Know who owes the tax

    Whoever collects the rent reports the sales and occupancy tax: the platform, your rental agency, or you. Airbnb collects state and county sales tax and all local occupancy taxes on its bookings. If guests pay you directly, register with the Department of Revenue for sales tax and with your county or town for occupancy tax.Source

    NCDOR business registration →

  2. Use a written vacation rental agreement

    The Vacation Rental Act covers owners and agents renting for vacation stays under 90 days. Have the guest accept a written agreement with the required notices, hold advance payments in a trust account, and keep the home fit and habitable with working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.Source

  3. Check your zoning

    Towns can’t require you to register a rental, but they can limit short-term rentals to certain zoning districts, require a zoning permit, and set parking, trash, and safety standards. Pick your area for the local rules.Source

Beaufort County, North Carolina

  1. Then your town or area

    Zoning rules for short-term rentals are set by each town, and by the county outside town limits. Pick your area.

Town of Belhaven

  1. Check your zone

    Short-term rentals are allowed in the R-5M and General Business districts. In the R-5 and Marine Business districts they need a special use permit.Source

  2. Apply for the zoning compliance permit

    Apply to the town before you list. The permit covers both owner-occupied rentals (you live there at least 275 days and rent up to 90 days a year) and dedicated rentals. The town notifies neighbors within 100 feet with your contact and maximum occupancy.Source

  3. Taxes on each stay

    Stays under 90 days owe 6.75% sales tax plus the local occupancy tax. Airbnb collects both on its bookings. If guests pay you directly, file sales tax with the Department of Revenue. We found no occupancy tax in Belhaven or the county outside Washington; ask the town whether one applies.Source

Inspection checklist

What the inspector looks for, from Town of Belhaven’s published checklist.

  • Smoke detectorsOne on each floor and in each bedroom.Source
  • Fire extinguisherWall-mounted, visible from the kitchen.Source
  • Carbon monoxide detectorOne on each floor, checked every six months.Source
  • No double-keyed deadbolts
  • Reflective address numbersVisible from the street.Source

House rules for guests

Parking
1 off-street space per 2 bedrooms
Source
Main guest
At least 21
Source
One booking at a time
No separate contracts at once
Source
Signs
On the building, up to 3 by 4 feet; no yard signs
Source
Trash
All trash in cans; post pickup days
Source

Sources

A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.